Page 56 of Daughter of the Dark Sea
Her real question lingered beneath—who’d requestedher, a female, to escort the royal sentinel?The royal hound, more like. Come to sniff about their business.
“A viceroy in the Citadel. It was all Erick would say.”
“Our reputation precedes us,” she mused. They had certainly made an impact at the trials as a combat duo, andnow as leaders ofHell’s Serpent.Despite her annoyance at being grounded upon land, she thrummed with the thrill of importance. If she nailed this escort, it would be another rung climbed on the ladder to admiral.
“It seems so.” Blake’s lips quirked with amusement, but quickly faded as a light flashed on in the lower levels of the manor. “I must go. They’ll notice something amiss in the barracks if I’m gone too long.”
Kora swallowed her disappointment. They would have ten days together soon, but then she would have to find a way to sail to Shannara without Erick knowing, and without Blakeat all. He’d be gods-damned before he’d let her sail to the witches’ territory. Guilt joined disappointment, and she loosened a breath before the emotions devoured her completely.
Blake mistook her sigh and placed his hand on the base of her neck, his thumb stroking up her throat. “I’ll see you the day after tomorrow, myasterya. Then we’ll have five days alone together.” His eyes glinted as a sly smile stretched his face. “We can do whatever we want in the desert.”
“Why not tomorrow?” Kora clamped down on her whiny tone. Five days alone with him was exciting, a real chance to explore who they were together. And a chance to finally unite intimately before she had to leave. But her ache burned so viciously she wasn’t sure if she could wait till then.
“The captain of the barracks has requested I sit in to oversee training of the latest recruits before I disappear again.” Blake feignedly smiled.
As the champion of the trials, and an excellent swordsman, he was regarded as a fine soldier and commander of armies. Yet he chose the naval military as his career, all so that he could be closer to her. It didn’t prevent officers grabbing his attention whenever they made port, to participate in training cadets, and approving strategic plans for the empire’s armies.
Kora offered a small smile. “The day after tomorrow then.”
“At first light.”
Darkness. Shadows. Fear.
She writhed in the bed. White silk sheets clung to her sweat-flushed skin. They wrapped around her like a coiled, slimy snake.
Out. She had to get out.
Thatthinglurked in the doorway to the chamber. Opulence of gold and moss covered every stone wall, every crevice.
She shouldn’t be here.
Anywhere buthere.
Her vision narrowed . . . tunnelled. Black encroaching on the corners of her sight. Her breathing caught in her throat as she screamed at the brush of hesitant, shaking fingers against her head.
Burning. Fire. Pain.
So much pain.
“She’s dying!” a strong voice pierced through the veil of agony smothering her.
“The healers are on their way,” the pillar of darkness spoke. A booming, yet chilling voice.
Wet. She was wet. Her long hair was plastered to her head and neck. Red. Why was it red?
“We can’t lose her,” the warm, strong voice echoed through her mind. Cold. She was so cold. His fingers pushed her hair back carefully and she moaned in pain. “She’s fading quickly, she’s leaving this realm.”
The living statue of darkness spooled into the room, searching, reaching. It crawled up the bed, tentatively teasing around her body.
Get out.
Run.
“Go away,” she rasped.
Her lips were cracked and dry. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Tired, so tired. The bright welcome of the gods lurked nearby. Maybe if she just closed her eyes and rested for a moment, she could gain the strength to fight back.
“I’ll see to it that she doesn’t.”
